DUBBO-trained mare Gotta Go Grace will be out to start a big week for her driver Jordan Reynolds when she lines up in the Awards Night September 25 Pace (1720m) at Dubbo Paceway on Sunday.
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Reynolds mixes his harness racing commitments with football, and will be part of the Dubbo CYMS squad looking to win back-to-back Group 11 premierships at Caltex Park on September 6.
But this weekend his priority will be getting a win for the four-year-old mare, which is trained by his father Peter Reynolds.
Gotta Go Grace has been to the races on just two occasions, with her debut second placing on August 9 backed up by another runner-up finish on her home track on August 23.
The Gotta Go Cullect (NZ) x Shirley's Fancy mare has drawn well in both previous runs, and will be advantaged by a kind draw in barrier two on Sunday.
Despite being the most inexperienced runner in the event, she carries the best form and from a kind draw should have enough early speed to push forward and find the front, which will allow Reynolds to dictate terms to himself.
With Sunday's event being for horses that are yet to win a race, the form surrounding some of Gotta Go Grace's rivals isn't flash, which leaves John Vautin's Walkabout Creek as the most obvious danger.
The four-year-old was on debut when he finished third behind Sure What Ever at Dubbo last Sunday, with just 3.7m separating him and Gotta Go Grace.
The barrier draw hasn't been as kind to Walkabout Creek though, as he will start from the inside of the second row and could be stuck three back on the pegs if any of the front-line runners can cross the polemarker Grinorama.
The intriguing event will be the first on a bumper nine-race card for the Dubbo club that will bring to a close its 2014/15 season.
The feature on the program will be the Dooz Horse Of Steel Series Final, where Lex Bramble's cult hero Sunnybrae is likely to line up for the last time.
Michael Carroll will take the drive aboard the rising seven-year-old, which will be having his 72nd start and searching for his first win when he starts from gate one.
The series brings together the horses that have consistently lined up at both Dubbo and Parkes over the course of the season, and features a $7000 Dooza gig as the prize.
Racing at the paceway will get underway at 12.20pm, with the final event scheduled for 5.17pm.